Actor Paul Rodriguez has worked with Will Smith on a number of films, but he has now vowed never again and has accused the Hollywood giant of being on steroids after they nearly came to blows.

The comedian called Will Smith – who played the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali in the 2001 biopic, Ali, an “a**hole”.

Talking in a radio interview on San Diego’s Rock105.3, Rodriguez claimed that Smith had been “really offensive” as they worked together after they clashed on an alleged racially-charged dispute.

Rodriguez, who played Dr Ferdie Pacheco in the movie – who was Ali’s physician – was asked about working with the Oscar-nominated Smith.

Will Smith on Film 'Ali'

He said: “I've done a couple of films with him and this time we didn't end up so good.

“I’d never work with him again, he was an a-hole”, he added.

Of their alleged bust-up, Rodriguez then said: “Maybe he was on steroids or something.”

Rodriguez claimed that the real life Dr Pacheco in the film and came to the set “drunk as a skunk” and raged at Smith in his dressing room.

“He goes into Will Smith’s trailer and he’s upset that his part isn’t bigger and that I’m playing him. He wanted Andy Garcia to play him,” Rodriguez said.

Ron Silver and Paul Rodriguez in 2001 biopic Ali (Photo: COLUMBIA)

“It escalated to the point where he started using the n-word to Will - and all this is true - and the police had to come escort him off the set. From then on, Will never looked at me the same.”

After the incident, Rodriguez claimed that Smith appeared to blame him and “started saying just really offensive stuff to me”.

He continued: “There was no cause to insult me or berate me. I’m no angel, but I didn't have it coming this time.”

Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith (Photo: Splash)

A fired-up Rodriguez returned to the topic of steroids again, claiming that Smith’s behaviour could have been down to “the steroids he was using to beef up”.

He admitted that he didn’t know that Smith had been using any drugs, but that he wondered how he transformed from a “skinny dude to a massive guy” for the movie.

At the time, it was reported that Smith had been spending seven hours a day in the boxing ring and gym to prepare for the movie, weighing in at 215 pounds – which is the same weight that the three-time heavyweight champion of the world was in his prime.